Junior college pitchers go in MLB Draft

Four players from Alabama junior colleges were selected in Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft on Saturday. All were right-hander pitchers.

The Atlanta Braves selected Caleb Beech of Shelton State with the 403rd choice, the Cleveland Indians selected Grayson Jones of Shelton State with the 428th choice, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Kevin Simmons of Wallace-Selma with the 480th choice and the Chicago Cubs selected John Michael Knighton of Central Alabama with the 499th choice.

Beech pitched just 16 innings as a freshman, but he struck out 18 and had a 2.81 earned-run average. He hit .245 as an infielder, too. Beech played at Washington County High School.

Jones, a freshman, had a 5-2 record in 12 starts and a 3.96 ERA. In 52.1 innings, he struck out 67. Jones played at Hewitt-Trussville High School.

Simmons, a sophomore, had a 3-6 record and a 3.10 ERA in 18 outings, including 13 starts. In 95.2 innings, he gave up 68 hits and 25 walks and struck out 109. Simmons played at Dallas County High School.

Knighton, a sophomore, had a 5-6 record and a 2.02 ERA in 15 outings, including 13 starts. In 84.2 innings, he gave up 71 hits and 16 walks and struck out 80. Knighton played at Walker High School, which also produced pitcher Jason Kamplain, who was selected in the 18th round by the New York Yankees. Knighton is a Troy signee.

Another junior college pitcher who was an Alabama prep standout also was drafted on Saturday. Tucker Simpson of Chipola Community College in Florida was chosen with the 1,171st selection by the Baltimore Orioles. Simpson prepped at Oxford.